Touched by the Angels

Our faith in the intelligence of humankind never falters. Call us delusional, but we think that most fans who buy tickets to a baseball game know what city they’re visiting.

For those who prove us wrong -- who drive to Angel Stadium thinking they’ve come to Los Angeles -- the state Assembly has an idea. By a 52-17 vote, it has approved a bill that would require the foolishly named Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to put an even more foolish disclaimer on tickets and ads noting that the team does not play in the bigger city. The bill heads to the Senate next.

Angel owner Arte Moreno made himself and his team ridiculous by renaming it after Los Angeles in an effort to draw more revenue and national attention. But in at least one way, Moreno may just be tickled about the disclaimer bill. Finally, others -- legislators, as it happens -- have made themselves out to be even more laughable than his team’s name.

The city of Anaheim is suing the geographically challenged Angels in state court over the demotion of their hometown, saying the team reneged on its contract. That’s where the fight should stay.

Instead, as though baseball constituted a cancer threat, ticket-holders might see something like: “The Legislature General has determined that this game is actually being played in Anaheim, and nothing in this contract should be construed as permitting you to tell people you were in Los Angeles today.” On tickets, the bill says, the disclosure would have to be in 12-point Roman boldface type, the size of the headlines atop most of the letters to the editor on this page. Angel tickets would have to be about the size of an Appleby’s menu.

Enough. Go fix the budget or something.